Research Analyst II (Data Steward) Nicholas School

Duke Careers•Durham, NC

1d•$61,026 - $98,439•Hybrid

About The Position

This position plays a key role in an innovative interdisciplinary research collaborative supporting Indigenous communities across the Western Great Lakes region, known as the STRONG Manoomin Collective. This collective brings together Tribal Nations, conservation organizations, researchers, artists, educators, and technology experts to advance community-driven science, Indigenous data sovereignty, environmental stewardship, and disaster resilience. The role is centered on Manoomin (wild rice), a culturally significant Ojibwe food and a critical indicator species for Great Lakes wetland ecosystems. The Collective develops scientific, cyber, and community-based solutions that support long-term sustainability for future generations. The Research Analyst II (Data Steward) will serve as the primary steward of research data, support the development of the Noondawind data platform, collaborate with diverse partners, and help transform complex information into meaningful insights that strengthen community decision-making and research outcomes. This position works closely with the Transdisciplinary Environments Group under the leadership of Dr. Kimberly Marion Suiseeya and reports to Noelle Wyman Roth, Research Manager.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in a discipline related to research, data science, information management, environmental science, social science, geography, computer science, or a related field.
Four years of related experience in research analysis, data analysis, data management, or a related field.
OR An equivalent combination of relevant education and experience.

Nice To Haves

Master's degree strongly preferred.
Research data management and documentation
IRB protocols and compliance
Data mining and resource evaluation
Database design and data structures
Metadata development and management
Functional and technical documentation
Management of multi-modal datasets including survey, sensor, geospatial, image, audio, and environmental data
FAIR data principles and data stewardship practices
Microsoft Azure cloud services
ArcGIS or other geospatial analysis software
GitHub, GitLab, or version control systems
SQL and/or NoSQL databases
Web-based research applications
Dashboard development and data visualization platforms
Web design and human-computer interaction principles
Statistical programming languages such as R, Python, SQL, and NoSQL
Scripting languages such as Python, JavaScript, or similar technologies
Cloud-based research cyberinfrastructure
Community-engaged and interdisciplinary research
Indigenous data governance and collaborative research partnerships
Building relationships with Tribal Nations, academic researchers, nonprofit organizations, and government agencies
Translating technical concepts for non-technical audiences
Strong written, verbal, and presentation communication skills
Managing complex workflows involving multiple projects and data sources
Integrating and analyzing diverse, multi-modal datasets
Supporting collaborative research data platforms
Creating compelling data stories, dashboards, reports, and visualizations
Bridging technical, scientific, and community perspectives within interdisciplinary teams

Responsibilities

Support design, development, and implementation of community-driven research initiatives in collaboration with Tribal Nations and project partners.
Partner with collaborators to define research goals, timelines, deliverables, and data requirements.
Serve as the primary coordinator and steward of project data resources.
Gather and translate research and data management requirements from internal and external stakeholders.
Participate in meetings, community engagement activities, workshops, presentations, listening sessions, and partner events.
Collaborate with faculty, researchers, students, and community partners to develop innovative research solutions and data products.
Support ongoing enhancement, maintenance, and development of the Noondawind web-based research platform.
Administer Microsoft Azure resources supporting research infrastructure.
Manage ArcGIS and geospatial technology resources.
Maintain platform code repositories and technical documentation.
Manage, integrate, clean, and analyze quantitative, qualitative, geospatial, environmental, and multi-modal datasets.
Conduct statistical analyses, geospatial analyses, textual analyses, dashboard creation, and data visualization.
Develop reports, dashboards, maps, charts, figures, and data products using established analytical methods.
Collaborate with researchers, artists, designers, technical specialists, and community partners to support integrated project outcomes.
Prepare visualizations and communication materials for presentations, publications, meetings, and community dissemination activities.
Support project management, research administration, metadata development, and research documentation efforts.
Assist with Institutional Review Board (IRB) protocols and compliance activities.
Maintain documentation including workflows, data inventories, technical manuals, publications, presentations, and project records.
Contribute to the development and review of data governance policies, data-sharing agreements, Indigenous data sovereignty practices, authorship guidelines, and reporting procedures.
Perform other related duties as assigned.