Model Development Research Associate - Pardee Institute for International Futures

University of Denver•Denver, CO

19h•Onsite

About The Position

The Pardee Institute is an interdisciplinary research institute using International Futures (IFs), the only open-source integrated assessment platform that combines systems dynamics, econometrics, and historical data to forecast interconnected global trends. Built over several decades, IFs is grounded in social science methods and an extensive, integrated data infrastructure. IFs includes 11 submodules capturing the dynamic unfolding of global social and environmental outcomes and is used to make long-term projections for hundreds of variables for 188 countries to 2100. Pardee is a soft-money-funded research institute focused on developing and applying IFs to help understand the long-term future. It engages with a broad range of organizations to help shape thinking about the long-term future, how choices we make today can lead to more intentional outcomes, and how trade-offs can shape decision-making. This work serves as a global community of policymakers, researchers, international organizations, development practitioners, students, and others who need to reason across long time horizons and find structure in uncertainty. Position Summary The Model Development Research Associate is a term-limited, full-time position that supports the Pardee Institute’s research, modeling, and analysis work through technical contributions to the International Futures integrated modeling system and developing a team of student researches to support parts of this work. The role combines applied research, programming, data analysis, scenario development, technical documentation, research communication, and supervisory skills. The Model Development Research Associate is expected to take active responsibility for the quality, timeliness, and communication of assigned and delegated work. This includes seeking clarity when needed, providing timely updates on progress and emerging issues, escalating problems early, verifying the accuracy and completeness of work products, applying feedback and past learning to future assignments, and communicating clearly and professionally. The role also requires sound judgment in tailoring communication to different audiences and connecting individual tasks, findings, and lessons learned to broader project and Institute goals. This is a one-year appointment with the possibility of renewal for a second year, based on performance, funding, and business need.

Requirements

Demonstrated commitment to fostering an environment in which faculty, staff, students, and community partners from diverse backgrounds and cultural identities feel welcome and valued.
Strong programming, data analysis, and quantitative research skills, including experience with SQL, structured data, and large datasets in support of IFs model development, technical documentation, and research products.
Ability to review research literature and translate findings into model assumptions, specifications, indicators, and documentation.
Ability to think systematically about relationships across social, economic, demographic, political, and environmental systems.
Ability to test, validate, troubleshoot, and document model code, data inputs, workflows, assumptions, and outputs.
Ability to explain analytical methods, uncertainty, limitations, data sources, and research findings clearly in writing.
Strong attention to detail and commitment to transparent, reproducible research practices.
Ability to work independently and collaboratively, manage multiple assignments, meet deadlines, and communicate progress clearly.
Ability to drive deliverables, including meeting time, budget, and resource requirements, along with anticipating challenges and making plans to address them.
Ability to train professionals and students alike, from diverse disciplines, on the application of the IFs model to their respective fields and use cases.
Master’s degree in economics, public policy, international development, political science, demography, environmental studies, computer science, data science, statistics, mathematics, or another relevant social science, computational, or quantitative field.
1-2 years of experience: Conducting quantitative research, data analysis, programming, or computational modeling in an academic, professional, or applied research setting.
1-2 years of experience: Drafting research, technical, analytical, or policy-oriented written products.
1-2 years of experience: Working on collaborative research, data, software, or analytical projects.
Commitment to pursuing a PhD or long-term research career in a relevant field.

Nice To Haves

Experience with the International Futures model or another integrated assessment, forecasting, systems dynamics, macroeconomic, demographic, environmental, or policy simulation model.
Experience with SQL and VB.NET or related tools used in research, modeling, documentation, or data analysis.
Experience working with international development, demographic, economic, environmental, governance, conflict, or socio-political datasets.
Experience constructing or analyzing alternative scenarios, forecasts, projections, or policy simulations.
Experience documenting code, model mechanics, equations, data workflows, or analytical assumptions.
Experience contributing to academic papers, technical reports, policy briefs, research memos, presentations, or other research products.

Responsibilities

Write, review, test, validate, and maintain code for the International Futures integrated modeling system.
Apply programming tools including VB.NET and SQL to update system modules, improve model functionality, support data integration, and contribute to the continued development of IFs as an open-source analytical platform.
Contribute to the conceptualization of IFs model structures, relationships, and assumptions by reviewing relevant literature, identifying data sources, and translating research findings into model specifications and documentation.
Execute complex data analysis to model long-term interactions across demographic, economic, environmental, and related subsystems for up to 188 countries.
Support data preparation, validation, transformation, and analysis needed to maintain and improve the accuracy, transparency, and usability of IFs outputs.
Construct alternative forecasting scenarios to assess potential policy impacts and long-term development outcomes.
Evaluate dynamic linkages between socio-political change, economic growth, demographic trends, environmental pressures, and other systems represented in IFs.
Draft technical documentation, research reports, model notes, and other research products that explain model mechanics, assumptions, equations, data sources, analytical methods, and outputs.
Support preparation of publications, presentations, briefings, and other written outputs for internal and external audiences.
Provide technical training and guidance to graduate students and other users in the application and mechanics of the IFs model.
Support users in understanding model structure, scenario development, analytical workflows, and interpretation of results while helping maintain shared standards for rigor, reproducibility, and clear documentation.
Guide and oversee the work of a dedicated team graduate student research aides who train on and support the IFs model.
Ensuring the timely and satisfactory delivery of IFs-based and related assignments.
Developing the capacity of direct and indirect reports to proactively seek clarity on assignments, connect their assignments to overall project goals and objectives, proactively access resources and support to complete their assignments, volunteer progress updates and other pertinent developments related to assignments, validate their work, apply past learnings to future assignments, and other related activities.