Research Analyst

UNC-Chapel Hill • Chapel Hill, NC

9d

About The Position

The Kenan Institute of Private Enterprise is hiring a Research Analyst to provide research support for academic and translational research projects conducted in collaboration with Kenan-Flagler faculty, the institute’s Chief Economist, and institute staff. The role works with the Institute’s research services team on institute-led data projects, including the North Carolina Economic Forecasting Initiative and the American Growth Project, a place-based economic initiative.

The Research Analyst conducts statistical analysis and econometric modeling to examine economic trends and evaluate policy outcomes; identifies, organizes, and cleans data using statistical software; and conducts literature reviews on economic and business topics. The analyst collaborates with research colleagues and stakeholders on research design and the development of regional economic indicators and related content. The position also supports the communication of findings through research papers, white papers, reports, policy briefs, Kenan Insights, commentaries, and other translational materials. The analyst manages assigned project components, communicates progress to team members, and meets deadlines. This position is contingent upon continued funding availability.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in economics, business, public policy, public administration, city and regional planning, statistics, mathematics, or a related field.
• Familiarity with statistical software such as STATA, SPSS, SAS, or similar software.

Nice To Haves

• Two years of relevant work experience or a master’s degree.
• Familiarity with database structures and querying.
• Strong writing and communication skills.
• Experience with data visualization packages such as Tableau and spreadsheet/presentation software, including preparing summary charts, graphs, and tables.
• Enthusiasm for making persuasive, data-driven arguments.
• Ability to work with different stakeholders, including academic and business partners.
• Experience using project management software such as Jira or Monday.com.

Responsibilities

• Perform statistical analysis and econometric modeling to understand economic trends and evaluate policy outcomes.
• Identify, organize, and clean data using statistical software such as Stata, SAS, R, and Python, among others.
• Conduct literature reviews on economic and business topics to support research papers, white papers, and reports.
• Collaborate with research analysts, economists, and institutional stakeholders to develop the American Growth Project’s regional economic indicators and related content.
• Participate in brainstorming sessions, contribute to research design, and engage in discussions supporting interdisciplinary approaches to economic analysis and community development.
• Communicate research findings effectively to diverse audiences through written and verbal communication.
• Assist with writing white papers, Kenan Insights and commentaries, policy briefs, and other translational research materials.
• Manage assigned project components, communicate project progress to team members, and meet deadlines.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time