Quantitative Research Analyst/Sr. Analyst, Early Childhood

CHILD TRENDS INCORPORATED•Baltimore, MD

2d•$72,000 - $87,000•Remote

About The Position

Child Trends is seeking a (Senior) Research Analyst who specializes in quantitative and statistical methods for its Early Childhood research area. (Senior) Research Analysts are expected to work on multiple projects simultaneously as a task leader and individual contributor. The Early Childhood team at Child Trends studies programs and systems affecting young children from birth through early elementary school. Our team works with the federal government, state agencies, communities, and foundations on research, evaluation, technical assistance, and policy projects that address important issues for policymakers, practitioners, and families. We develop resources and reports that address complex topics in easy-to-understand terms. We are thought partners in addressing a range of early childhood issues and help policymakers and practitioners translate research into actions that can improve the lives of young children. This position requires strong writing and quantitative skills, logical thinking, great attention to detail, excellent communication skills, and a commitment to ethics and equity in research and the workplace. The ideal candidate will have experience and/or interest in a wide range of policy- and practice-relevant early childhood topics such as access to high-quality early care and education, the early childhood workforce, home visiting, child care licensing, early childhood assessment, family engagement and support, maternal and child health, coaching, and/or state-based early childhood data systems. The ideal candidate will also be knowledgeable about designing and conducting research rooted in equitable principles.

Requirements

Master’s degree in research methods, statistics, applied statistics, applied mathematics, biostatistics, applied economics, data science, quantitative sociology or psychology, public health, mathematics, psychology, education, public policy, or a related field plus 2-3 years of experience OR a Bachelor’s degree plus 3-5 years of relevant quantitative experience.
Experience with a variety of inferential statistical techniques and research methods including, but not limited to: data cleaning, missing data management, analyses of categorical data and continuous data, and quasi-experimental designs.
Experience with managing, cleaning, and analyzing secondary and/or administrative data. Examples include: the National Survey of Early Care and Education (NSECE), American Community Survey data, state ECE workforce registries, Medicaid claims data.
Proficiency with statistical either Stata or R software programs.
Proficiency with Microsoft Office suite, including advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel (e.g., formulas, lookups, pivot tables).
Experience with data visualization (e.g., Excel graphs and figures, Power BI, Tableau, ggplot2, Shiny).
Excellent writing skills, including the ability to clearly communicate complex information for general or policy audiences and to compose technical reports.
Excellent task management and organizational skills.
Strong communication skills, including transparent and timely communications, to support a collaborative working environment.
Ability to work independently and as part of a team.
Strong critical thinking skills and problem-solving abilities.
Ability to both provide and take direction.

Nice To Haves

Experience with data collection (e.g., surveys, interviews) and data management, preferably in applied settings.
Experience contributing to methodological designs and decision-making.
Experience with causal analyses, structural equation modeling, multi-level modeling, and/or policy evaluation methods (e.g., difference-in-differences, regression discontinuity).
Experience with Python and/or SQL.
Experience with or interest in learning Git and GitHub
Experience working with clients (e.g., state administrators, federal or philanthropic project officers).

Responsibilities

Works on multiple research and evaluation projects simultaneously as a quantitative task leader or analyst.
Works both independently and as part of a team to contribute to reports, briefs, and memos.
Manages a quantitative analysis plan from data cleaning to final results with timeline, scope of work, and budget.
Contributes to designing protocols for the collection of quantitative data.
Supports and contributes to data collection efforts, as needed.
Collaborates with colleagues to develop analytical plans and data management documentation.
Analyzes quantitative data using basic and sophisticated statistical methods.
Conducts research with an equity lens.
Commits to continuing their own learning and growth toward being a more equitable employee and researcher.
Assists with proposal development.
Presents findings to clients and stakeholders in public forums.
Trains and supervises research assistants and support staff.
Contributes to communications and dissemination efforts.