Data Liaison

University of Chicago • Minneapolis, MN

2d • $67,000 - $72,000 • Hybrid

About The Position

As one of the first schools of social work in the United States, the Crown Family School of Social Work, Policy, and Practice has shaped the field for more than 100 years. As part of the University of Chicago, the Crown Family School shares the University's core values and distinctive intellectual culture. Crown Family School faculty, staff and students focus on identifying solutions to complex problems through the integration of research, training, and direct community engagement. Guided by an interdisciplinary tradition, Crown Family School scholars conduct innovative research to address interconnected social challenges such as educational inequality, health disparities, crime and violence, poverty, and child and family welfare—working at multiple scales, from individual to policy-level interventions. More than 8,000 Crown Family School graduates in the US and globally hold leadership positions in academia, at nonprofits, and at governmental agencies The Crown Family School is the home of several academic centers. These include the Susan and Richard Kiphart Center for Global Health and Social Development, the Urban Education Institute (UEI), the Center for Climate, Health and Society, the Smart Decarceration Project, and the Employment Instability, Family Well-being, and Social Policy Network (EINet). More information may be found at https://crownschool.uchicago.edu/. For over 35 years, the University of Chicago Consortium on School Research (UChicago Consortium), a unit of the Kersten Institute for Urban Education at the Crown Family School of Social Work, Policy, and Practice has worked to address some of the most pressing challenges in urban education. We conduct high-quality research on the practices and conditions that improve student learning, promote educational attainment, and foster equity through rigorous research. Our research informs policy and practice in Chicago Public Schools and in districts across the nation. A central part of our work is engaging with a wide range of stakeholders and fostering evidence-driven conversations about the critical issues facing schools. The UChicago Consortium is widely recognized as a national model for research-practice partnerships, combining rigorous analysis with real-world impact. For more information about the UChicago Consortium, see consortium.uchicago.edu. The Data Liaison works with staff at the Chicago Public Schools (CPS) on behalf of the Consortium, the To&Through Project, the Inclusive Economy Lab, and the other CPS Collaborative Research Partners, facilitating the provision of CPS data in support of their research projects. A Consortium staff member will supervise the Data Liaison and a CPS staff member will serve as the point of contact for the work being done at CPS. This is a grant funded position, with a grant end date of 6/30/2028. If replacement funding is not identified, the position will end on 6/30/2028.

Requirements

• Minimum requirements include a college or university degree in related field.
• Minimum requirements include knowledge and skills developed through 2-5 years of work experience in a related job discipline.

Nice To Haves

• Bachelor's Degree in economics, sociology, data science, public policy or other relevant field
• Advanced Degre
• Two years of experience in data analysis working with large data sets
• Working knowledge of statistics and research methods
• Strong knowledge of databases, data structures, and data warehouse practices
• Two years of experience programming in SAS, R, or Stata or other statistical package
• Working knowledge of SQL preferred
• Ability to handle multiple tasks simultaneously, prioritize and meet tight deadlines
• Excellent interpersonal, oral and written communication skills required
• Ability to develop and manage relationships within and across organizations
• A commitment to education reform
• Attention to detail and exceptional organizational skill
• Ability to take initiative and a proactive approach to tasks and projects
• Ability to execute sound judgment and maintain confidentiality

Responsibilities

• Consult with Collaborative Research Partners (CRP) staff about data needs as projects begin the process of being approved by CPS
• Gather and document data requirements from CRP staff for their CPS-approved research projects
• Consult with CPS staff as needed on how to best meet the data requirements of the CRP projects
• Fill data requests for the CRP projects by developing, testing, and executing queries and reports of data from CPS sources
• Perform testing and validation of data quality and integrity prior to delivery to CRP staff
• Develop and maintain data documentation (data dictionaries, wikis, etc.) in collaboration with CPS and the research organizations as they work with and learn about the data
• Keep CRP staff appraised as data availability and characteristics change
• Deliver data and reports to CRP staff with necessary documentation and context for understanding and interpreting data
• Serve as liaison among the CRP and CPS, keeping staff in all organizations updated on data needs and research activities
• Work with staff at CRP to track progress, status, and deadlines related to CPS-approved projects
• Work closely with CPS staff and the organizations' researchers to build a common understanding and greater coherence in the use of CPS data for research purposes
• Provide ad hoc data support to the External Research Team
• Applies research principles and relevant subject matter knowledge relevant to administer a research project.
• With a moderate level of direction, manages lab and/or research-related duties and tasks.
• Helps develop, design and conduct research projects according to plan
• Supports data collection and analytical needs of research projects.
• Conducts literature reviews and helps write reports and manuscripts.
• Ensures project compliance with different policies, procedures, directives, and mandates
• Performs other related work as needed

Benefits

• 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.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level